The Talent Advantage

"What drives us forward is our people: their creativity, resilience, and courage to lead change. The Talent Advantage captures that spirit. It's a clear example of how structured support for talent unlocks lasting impact. This book is a required reading for any CEO passionate about developing their people and business." * Belén Garijo, Chair of the Executive Board and CEO, Merck *
"In a world where most people mistakenly believe that agentic AI will take over the jobs of humans, in this thought-provoking book Professor Stremersch considers who to invest in, how to build people's skill sets and what will yield the highest "human ROI". I see this as a must-read!" * Eric T Bradlow, Associate Dean AI & Analytics, Wharton School *
"A rare find: a book that combines academic thought leadership with deep insights from working inside real companies. The result is sharp, credible, and incredibly useful. It speaks both to the head and the hands." * Florent Edouard, Global Head of Digital, Sanofi *
"Innovation doesn't happen in a vacuum, it's powered by people. The Talent Advantage offers a practical, experience-driven roadmap to transform ideas into tangible business outcomes. I particularly value its seamless integration of strategic thinking with actionable tools. This book is a valuable resource for any leader dedicated to cultivating innovative talent and empowering teams to thrive, in a fast-paced world of business." * Pascale Wautelet, VP R&D, Avery Dennison *
"In our quest to streamline our innovation process and link it with our goal, we discovered that the journey itself was the real teacher, revealing new strategies for fostering creativity and growth within our company." * David Nowak, Global Engineering Director, Nefab *
"I've seen firsthand how Stefan and his team activate talent across entire organizations. This book distils that experience into a practical, must-read guide for every transformation leader." * Pedro Brandao, Head of Digital Transformation, NOS *
"I am happy to have Nefab's growth journey and focus on innovation and sustainability portrayed in The Talent Advantage. Nefab's continuous work at embedding purpose into everyday decision-making and securing that talent fuels innovation is well aligned with the main messages of this book." * Per Öhagen, President and CEO, Nefab Group *
"The Talent Advantage distils what it truly takes to build an innovation-ready organization: not through theory, but through actionable frameworks." * Axel RosenØ, CEO, Founder of Innovation Roundtable *
"A fascinating read! Thought-provoking, yet very readable. Stremersch and colleagues have created a highly innovative book that demonstrates how organizational and personal innovation can actually be planned and achieved." * Barak Libai, Professor at the Arison School of Business at Reichman University *
"The Talent Advantage is a practical and insightful guide for any organization that wants to future-proof its workforce. It combines real business experience with clear, actionable tools , exactly what our industries need to turn potential into performance. A must-read!" * Bart Steukers, CEO, Agoria *
"If innovation is a team sport, this book is your playbook." * Bruno Tindemans, Chief Foresight Officer at Department of Work, Flemish Government *
"Stefan Stremersch shares great actionable insights on how to deliver on a core need of modern organizations - creating contexts in which people's potential for creativity and innovation is realized." * Daan van Knippenberg, Houston Endowment Professor of Management at Rice University *
"This book is a must read for anyone passionate about developing people. It provides an impressive set of tools and templates for building innovation talent. It's so practical and I love the decades of experience that is bundled in this book." * Dan Coombes, Vice President Global Commercial HR at Grünenthal Group *
"A great toolbox for any company wanting to stay ahead through innovation." * Daniel Heussen, General Manager Business Transformation, Komatsu *
"This book is a must-read! It will convince you that innovation success isn't about process but about systematically developing your people. It is a deep but practical guide to building talent advantage for sustained growth." * Eitan Muller, Research Professor of Marketing, NYU Stern School of Business *
"The Talent Advantage is packed with real-world wisdom, practical tools, and the kind of insights that actually stick. Small warning: if you read this book, you might just end up with more capable people, stronger teams, and a more focused organization." * Hans Van der Kooij, Founder, Caesar Group *
"At the heart of every breakthrough is a human being with vision, a voice and a need to belong. Innovation thrives when people are seen, heard, and empowered - not just recruited. That's why the future belongs to organizations that put people first - not as resources to manage, but as lives to uplift. Innovation starts with people. Not just talent to compete for - but human potential to care for." * Harry Commandeur, Professor of Industrial Economics and Business Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam *
"This timely book shows that innovation thrives not just on process, but on people driven by a clear purpose. A powerful guide for firms to build their talent and drive innovation from within." * Henk W. Volberda, Professor of Strategic Management & Innovation at University of Amsterdam Business School *
"Insightful, actionable, and refreshingly clear." * Herman Van Rompuy, Former President of the European Council *
"In The Talent Advantage, Stefan, Nuno and Isabel democratize their expertise with clarity that delivers immediate impact. The book delivers practical, repeatable tools that drive results across diverse teams. I've adapted their concepts over the years and continue to apply them in my organization-and advocate for them across our product development teams. This is the playbook for any leader serious about building high-performance innovation teams." * Hilary Graham, Senior Director, Product Marketing Management, Bio-Techne Diagnostics Division at Bio-Techne *
"Innovation is no longer just about developing new therapies in our industry, it's also about how we work, collaborate, and grow our people. The Talent Advantage offers practical, experience-based guidance on how to build the capabilities needed to support that broader view of innovation. I'm proud to be featured in this book and to contribute to the shared goal of developing talent that drives meaningful impact." * Ivana Bagaric, Business Unit Director Plasma Derived Therapies, Takeda *
"I will recommend this book to all talent that I train on creativity and innovation. Stremersch puts "human ingenuity of the many" at the core of progress and rightly so! The Talent Advantage is the ideal travel companion for any leader who wants to drive any domain of innovation, business progress and people development!" * Jacob Goldenberg, University Professor at Reichman University *
"Stefan Stremersch has written a rare book; one that democratizes innovation by showing how (with the right purpose and competencies) every person in an organization can contribute. A powerful call for firms to unlock their talent advantage." * Jagdish Sheth, Kellstadt Professor of Business, Goizueta Business School, Emory University *
"The continued ability to innovate is crucial in today's world. Prof. Stefan Stremersch details how firms can develop their innovation competency by leveraging the skills of their workforce. A meaningful, actionable, and highly readable book!" * Jan-Benedict Steenkamp, C. Knox Massey Distinguished Professor of Marketing and Leadership at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill *
"A valuable and insightful book that connects the science and practice of innovation through the lens of talent development. Empirically-grounded, actionable, and refreshingly focused on people and capabilities - not just process." * John Hauser, Kirin Professor of Marketing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) *
"Stefan Stremersch and his colleagues go beyond conventional approaches to innovation. They highlight that the critical factor in the innovation game is not resources, but talented people, with purpose and proficiency. At a time of technology disruptions, refocusing innovation on developing people who are curious, competent and entrepreneurial is a very refreshing managerial perspective." * Jordi Canals, IESE Foundation Professor of Corporate Governance, Dean of IESE (2001-2016) *
"The Talent Advantage bridges the gap between business impact and talent development...a must-read for HR leaders driving real change." * Lien Meuleman, Chief HR Officer, Barco *
"The Talent Advantage is an excellent guide for turning human potential into competitive advantage: something every serious leader should care about." * Nirmalya Kumar, Lee Kong Chain Professor of Marketing at Singapore Management University *
"Talent is the spark - but it's the culture, structure, and leadership around it that allow it to truly flourish. The Talent Advantage reveals how to build a powerful ecosystem for growth - an environment where people don't just perform, but excel. In an era where human potential is the ultimate competitive edge, this book offers leaders both the vision and the compass to develop talent in a future-ready way. Those who invest in people and the right governance , invest in the future." * Pascale Van Damme, FIFA Council Member; President Royal Belgian Football Association; CEO Cordeel Group *
"As Peter Drucker claimed: There are only two value-creating sources in business: Innovation and Marketing. This book combines both and provides a novel perspective on value-creating innovation talent and the role of AI." * Peter Verhoef, Dean at Faculty of Economics and Business University of Groningen *
"In this wonderfully written book, Stefan Stremersch guides you on a journey on talent development. His broad knowledge and his sparkling style make this book a must read for anyone." * Philip Hans Franses, Professor of Applied Econometrics, Erasmus University Rotterdam *
"The Talent Advantage gives people the confidence to innovate and grow. It offers an inspiring read on how people and organizations can embrace transformation without being paralyzed by fear. A must-read for any leader in today's changing world." * Pryia Rhagubir, Professor of Marketing, NYU Stern *
"Developing innovation talent is an absolute priority for any organization. The Talent Advantage captures that same passion and turns it into practical guidance. It's an inspiring and useful read for any leader who believes people are the engine of innovation, and honestly, we should all follow that path." * Rik Van de Walle, Rector at Ghent University *
"I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Stefan, Isabel and Nuno for the remarkable work that went into creating this book. The integration of deep knowledge and real experience is both insightful and impactful. The information presented, along with testimonials collected is a perfect balance of clarity, energy, and practicality. This book not only discuss innovation, but it also embodies it, it challenges conventional thinking and presents new possibilities. A truly inspiring and forward-thinking achievement." * Roberto Galante, Head of Product Lines, Product Development and Program Management, SKF Global Railways at SKF Group *
"The Talent Advantage makes the case that innovation can be learned and developed by an organization, by supporting and building the knowledge, skills and attitudes that lead to successful innovation. Professor Stremersch is a world-class academic who has nonetheless written a book that is accessible and practical for the real world." * Roland Rust, Distinguished University Professor and David Bruce Smith Chair in Marketing; Executive Director, Center for Excellence in Service, Robert H. Smith School of Business *
"In science-driven organizations, innovation depends not only on expertise, but on the ability to develop and connect talent across disciplines. The Talent Advantage offers concrete, experience-based tools to do just that. It speaks the language of both science and business, and helps leaders strengthen the human side of innovation. A valuable resource for anyone working at the intersection of science, people, and progress." * Sabine Leclercq, Senior VP, Global Technical R&D at GSK Vaccines *
"Innovation depends on people. Period. The Talent Advantage is a refreshingly pragmatic guide for turning human potential into innovation power. I know from own experience: it works! I'll be sharing it with our innovation teams!" * Seth Pack, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Michelin *
"A warm recommendation to not just read, but really use this book, especially for teams driving change and innovation." * Vanessa Delair, EMEA Innovation Program Manager at Aliaxis *
"The Innospire program is a brilliant program. It is a strong commitment and an opportunity to refine and pivot a business proposition, leveraging inner company capacities to address a market gap and achieve high value with a unique solution." * Sabin Charles Carme, Innovation Manager, Merck Healthcare Operations *
"If you want to create a sustainable innovation culture within your organization, The Talent Advantage is a must read. You will learn how to leverage an approach developed through real world application. This will foster a culture with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to create a long-lasting innovation culture and significant business impact." * Gabe Glynn, Product Innovation Lead; Research & Development, Atlas Copco Mafi-Trench Company *